Indian Super League 2014 Results: Semi-Final Scores and Finals Series Fixtures

The inaugural Indian Super League is reaching its dramatic conclusion, with the four top teams from the round-robin matches squaring off in the semi-finals this week.

Chennaiyin FC, Kerala Blasters, Atletico de Kolkata and FC Goa are the four teams looking to sample glory, and given the quality that's already been on show in the tournament, expect the action to be cranked up a notch as the serious stuff begins.

The clashes will be two-legged affairs, meaning we’re surely set for thrills and spills aplenty. It’ll be intriguing to see how the players fare after the convoluted calendar, and with the potential of three more games to come within a seven-day period, fatigue and pressure should yield some open matches bristling with classy goals.

We’ll keep you updated with the results from each of these highly significant contests right up until the final on Saturday Dec. 20, as the four remaining sides battle to be crowned as the first champions of the Indian Super League.

Semi-Finals and Final Results

Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press

Semi-Finals

First Leg

Dec. 13: Kerala Blasters 3-0 Chennaiyin

Dec. 14: Atletico de Kolkata 0-0 FC Goa

Second Leg

Dec. 16: Chennaiyin 3-1 Kerala Blasters

Dec. 17: FC Goa 0-0 Atletico de Kolkata (Kolkata win 4-2 on pens)

Final

Dec. 20: Kerala Blasters vs. Atletico de Kolkata

Dec. 17: Kolkata Edge out Goa on Penalties to Reach Final

Bikas Das/Associated Press

FC Goa 0-0 Atletico de Kolkata 

(Atletico de Kolkata win 4-2 on penatlties)

Atletico de Kolkata sneaked past Zico's FC Goa team on penalties after neither side were able to register the solitary goal they needed to win the ISL semifinal, and progress to face Kerala Blasters.

The two sides who finished second and third in the group stage of the competition could not be separated over 210 minutes of football, leaving it to a dramatic penalty shootout to see who would reach the inaugural final.

The event was a drab affair in reality with neither team taking the impetuous to win the tie in normal time

Bruno Pinheiro and Peter Carvalho had been restored to the Goan starting XI by Zico, replacing the injured Narayan Das and Youness Bengelloun.

Antonio Lopez Habas also made a couple of changes to his Kolkata team—bringing in Arnab Mondal and Baljit Sahni, the later returning from his recent suspension.

The best effort of the night fell to the home side in just the 7th minute when Indian winger Romeo Fernandes fired into the side netting after good work from man of the match, Andre Santos.

And in the shootout, it was Kolkata who kept their nerve as Josemi, Mohammed Rafi, Jofre Mateu and Borja Fernandez found the net, with Santos and Haroon Amiri missing their kicks for Goa.

The final will now be contested by the third and fourth placed team from the group stage, with the match taking place on Saturday.

Dec. 16: Kerala Blasters Steal Extra Time Goal to Win Semifinal

Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press

Chennaiyin 3-1 Kerala Blasters

Kerala Blasters created history by grabbing the solitary goal they needed on the night to find their way to the inaugural ISL final—dumping group stage winners Chennaiyin out of the competition in the semi-finals.

David James' team took a three goal advantage into the second leg after winning the first match of this semi, 3-0—leaving Chennai with the epic task of winning Tuesday's game by four goals.

And that they nearly did. The game went into extra-time after Marco Materazzi's team ended normal time with a 3-0 lead.

But Stephen Pearson broke Chennai hearts with a late 117th minute extra-time strike to take the Blasters into the final.

Chennaiyin opened the scoring at the conclusion of the first half as former Manchester United and Arsenal defender, Mikael Silvestre, headed home to claim the lead.

But the home team had to wait until the 76th minute to double their advantage after an own goal from Sandesh Jhingan made it 2-0.

The tie seemed to be leaning towards Kerala with the seconds ticking down to the final whistle but a dramatic last-minute effort from Jeje Lalpekhlua took the game into extra-time.

Chennaiyin continued to push during the added period but were unable to get the fourth goal they desperately needed to progress.

And it was left to Englishman Pearson to steal the result late on—taking Kerala into the first-ever ISL final.

Dec. 14: FC Goa Hold Atletico de Kolkata to Scoreless Draw

Bikas Das/Associated Press

Atletico de Kolkata 0-0 FC Goa

The ball is in FC Goa's court after Zico's men managed to take a 0-0 result from the first leg of their semi-final tie against Atletico de Kolkata on Sunday.

With a home tie to come on Wednesday, Goa can be pleased with their clean sheet at Salt Lake Stadium and boast the advantage heading into the return fixture.

Sunday's visitors may well have taken more from the clash, too, after finishing with 10 shots on target compared to Atletico's one, per the official Indian Super League website, as well as 60 percent of possession.

Apoula Edel Bete had a busy day in goal for the home outfit and managed to parry all of Goa's attempts in the first period, with the likes of Mandar Rao Desai and Romeo Fernandez threatening to break the deadlock.

This was to be the theme of the fixture as Atletico welcomed a raft of pressure upon themselves, but despite failing to impose themselves offensively, Ofentse Nato felt his side performed well:

"

I think we played very well today even though we didn’t score a goal. We’re looking forward to the away match because if you look at our away record we manage to get away with a goal at least. So hopefully, we will get the one goal or two goals, and then we’re through.

"

"

I think the result today has boosted our confidence and we’re looking forward to the second leg and giving our best because we’re almost there. We’ve been on top of the table for almost the whole season, so we can’t afford any slip ups now.

"

The trip to face Goa on their own turf will be a more treacherous one in midweek. Atletico haven't won an away fixture since October, a 2-1 result which ironically enough came against Goa.

Zohab Amiri isn't concerned with such omens, though, and told the official Indian Super League website of his hope for the return leg: “It was a difficult game, it was away from home and the boys tried really hard. But as you can see, the pitch is not very good. It’s a good result for us, so we’re looking forward to playing at home.”

Dec. 13: Kerala Blasters Stun Tournament Favourites

Jan Kruger/Getty Images

The Kerala Blasters stunned tournament favourites Chennaiyin to win 3-0 in front of a raucous home crowd in the first leg of their hotly anticipated semi-final.

Two goals in two minutes from Ishfaq Ahmed and Iain Hume left the visitors reeling in the first half, and a strike in stoppage time from Mathew Sushanth sent a packed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium into delirium at the final whistle.

Having finished top of the league standings, Chennaiyin were naturally the big favourites to go on and triumph in the Indian Super League. But this match, played out in front of 60,900 supporters, was never going to be easy, and the tense start to the game resembled a typical semi-final tie.

On these occasions, it is often the team that is the most clinical that comes out on top, and luckily for the swathes of fans in attendance, it was the home side that looked as though they had packed their shooting boots.

They eventually took the lead in the 27th minute thanks to a fine finish from Ahmed.

But with the visitors clearly stunned and a little unnerved by the atmosphere, things were about to get even better for the Blasters. Ahmed was once again involved, as his pass found its way to Hume inside the penalty area. The Canada international had plenty to do with his back to goal, but he turned and finished with aplomb.

Roared on by their supporters, Kerala didn’t let their opponents settle at all. David James’ players were first to every ball, hassled the Chennai midfielders with unrelenting intensity and were more incisive with their play. But with an away goal still likely to change the complexion of this tie, Chennaiyin committed more men forward in the latter stages.

It proved to be something of a naive tactic, as they left too much space at the back; Kerala, as they had done throughout the 90 minutes, gobbled up the opportunity. And what a moment it was for local boy Sushanth, who finished well in stoppage time after receiving a pass from Hume to give his side a three-goal lead to take into the second leg.

The noise at the final whistle suggested there are plenty of Kerala supporters who feel that this tie is all but sewn up. You have to imagine that an away goal for the Blasters—which would see Chennaiyin needing to score five to progress—would be enough to book their spot in the final.